Double Agent (Please Keep Reading and Bookmark!)

It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped over his head in the dead of winter.

Amber snapped fully awake.

Fortunately, his exceptional control over his body let him suppress the urge to shudder.

He never imagined that he and Margaret would have barely made contact

before the Federation's intelligence chief on Robert IV found out.

"Major Mars, are you saying..."

Amber spoke stiffly. He had no idea how to answer.

But staying silent when the middle-aged officer questioned him would only cause bigger problems.

"Don't worry, Warrant Officer Amber."

The gloomy-looking officer managed to squeeze out a smile.

"I've activated the highest level of room lockdown. No one else will know what we say in here."

Major Mars paused, then pointed to the chair across his desk.

"Relax. Sit down and talk. Since you managed to make contact, the Empire hasn't noticed anything wrong. They still trust you."

That made everything click for Amber.

So the Federation had already turned him, making him a double agent?

At that moment, the last of the hazy memories in Amber's mind finally came into focus.

After enrolling at Federal First Military Academy, his identity had been exposed for reasons unknown.

He had suffered terribly in a Security Bureau interrogation room. The Federation had even found some way to undo his "brainwashing."

In the end, the Security Bureau had successfully turned him into a Federation double agent who appeared to be an Imperial sleeper agent.

No wonder I can't sense the Thought Imprint in my mind. The Federation removed it?

With those memories restored, Amber finally understood his past.

Even so, this turn of events had caught him completely off guard.

On the way to Mars's office, he had imagined countless possibilities.

This was the one thing he had never expected.

Amber felt like a player in an espionage murder-mystery game who had never received his own script.

He had to guess his identity and make up the story as he went.

Amber steadied his breathing and forced himself to calm down. Then he pulled out the chair before Mars's desk and sat.

As he had noted before, Amber had been a player in his previous life. He felt no real allegiance to either the Federation or the Star Dragon Empire.

He had chosen to be born in the Star Dragon Empire in the game,

but only so he could admire the Empire's dragon women up close.

Though they were human, the Star Dragon Empire's founding family was said to carry the blood of the Cosmic Dragon, a creature from space.

They looked human, but parts of their bodies bore dragon scales.

Dragon horns even grew above their ears.

That was why the Star Dragon Empire's royals had always called themselves "children of the dragon."

The Star Dragon Empire was also highly advanced in genetic modification and optimization.

After generations of genetic optimization, its people were essentially genetically perfected humans.

As a result, people in the Star Dragon Empire were exceptionally good-looking on average.

In its core star systems, every street seemed full of handsome men and beautiful women.

Occasionally, one could even spot a noble with dragon horns.

So back then, hordes of horny players had flocked to the Star Dragon Empire faction under the banner of "I'm going to ride a dragon girl."

But he was getting sidetracked.

Neither of the two great powers was much good. Both were riddled with problems that had festered for years.

Worse, not long after the war began, the Star Dragon Empire would fall to a rebellion led by the Regent.

The entire royal family would vanish, and several great noble houses would carve the vast Empire into separate nations.

With its greatest rival gone, the Federation's internal corruption would rapidly worsen.

Rebellions would erupt across its colony worlds, and its strength would plummet.

The galaxy, once held in balance by the two powers, would descend into a "Dark Age" of endless warfare among rival factions.

Tying himself to either of those sinking ships would be foolish.

Amber had no desire to get caught up in the coming galactic war.

In the game, players were clones. If they died, they simply switched to a new clone body.

That was why he had dared to stand on the bridge of the Pink Fluffy Bunny guild fleet's flagship and go down with his ship.

But this was no longer a game. Without respawning to fall back on, Amber did not want to take that risk.

His knowledge of the major powers, the galaxy's future, the secrets hidden on many planets, and the locations of deep-space precursor ruins

gave him confidence that he could grow stronger while making a fortune.

Then he could go to the Thousand-Star Empire and become an "angel investor."

The Elves of the Thousand-Star Empire were as noble and elegant as those in human myths,

but when it came to pursuing wealth, they were no different from humans.

If all went well, he could spend the rest of his life in comfort, surrounded by Elves and alien girls with animal ears.

But now Amber had to make a dangerous decision.

The intelligence chief in front of him was no fool.

Amber could not tell Mars that the Imperial spy had said nothing and that they had merely made contact.

After weighing the risks, Amber spoke.

"An Imperial expeditionary strike group will launch a surprise attack on Robert IV in three days."

The smile vanished from Major Mars's face.

He immediately sat up straight.

"How reliable is this intelligence?"

"I believe it's fairly reliable, Major."

Amber licked his dry lips. Hidden by his helmet, the gesture went unseen by the intelligence chief across from him.

"Imperial spies on Robert IV have already prepared to support the Imperial Orbital Paratroopers."

Amber did not reveal everything Margaret had told him. He held back the intelligence about the Imperial spies' plan to sabotage the Communications Center.

Who knew how many Imperial spies had infiltrated this base?

If they sensed something was wrong or found their operation obstructed, they might make a desperate last stand.

For now, this was the best solution he could think of.

He had warned the Federation of the coming Imperial attack without interfering with the spies' sabotage.

Everyone could still have a bright future.

Major Mars fell silent for a moment.

His expression turned grave, and even his gloomy air seemed to recede.

"Those Imperial sons of bitches picked Armed Forces Day of all days."

"This intelligence is vital. I have to report it to Commander Adam at once."

Major Mars rose, and Amber instinctively got up as well.

Mars stepped forward, patted Amber's shoulder, and walked him toward the office door.

"Don't tell anyone about this conversation. You know the rules, Warrant Officer Amber."

Amber nodded.

The room lockdown ended, and the door opened automatically as they approached.

"Head to the officers' mess. Isn't Lieutenant Colonel Dallas holding a welcome dinner for you new arrivals?"

Once outside the office, the intelligence chief put on a smile as though he had changed masks.

To Amber, it looked worse than if he had burst into tears.

"I'll be going, then, Major."

Major Mars nodded without speaking. After Amber disappeared around the corridor corner, Mars dropped his smile.

Then he turned and walked the other way.